One of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions has crowned its top bourbon for 2025. While some of America’s leading producers entered their best whiskeys, the award ultimately went to a small, family-owned producer in Southern Indiana.

Starlight Distillery’s Japanese Mizunara Reserve Finished Bourbon was named Best Overall Bourbon at the Top Shelf 2025 Awards. The glamorous, industry-focused event is the culmination of multiple rounds of judging, recognizing the Best in Class and Best in Show winners from the renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) and San Francisco Ready to Drink Competition (SFRTDC). Top Shelf, SFWSC, and SFRTDC are organized by The Tasting Alliance.

Winning spirits at the gala are selected from among SFWSC Double Gold Medal winners. According to Top Shelf, the recognition signifies a “benchmark of excellence within (a respective) category, setting new standards for taste, innovation, and craftsmanship.” The Top Shelf 2025 Awards gala marks the end of several days of programming, including tastings, masterclasses, and networking opportunities.

At the 2025 SFWSC, Starlight Distillery’s Japanese Mizunara Reserve Finished Bourbon earned Double Gold with an impressive 99 points. In addition to being named Best Overall Bourbon at Top Shelf, the bottling was also recognized as the Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon.

Starlight Distillery is located in Borden, Indiana, just a short drive from Louisville, Kentucky. The distillery is owned and operated by the Huber family, who have been farming and making wine in the region since 1843. The family began distilling brandy from estate-grown fruit in 2000 and later expanded into bourbon in 2013.

To produce its winning bourbon, Starlight started with a blend of two mash bills: 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% malted barley; and 51% corn, 20% rye, 20% malted barley, and 9% wheat. All corn, rye, and wheat used in Starlight’s whiskeys are grown entirely on-site at the Huber family farm, while rye is sourced from nearby partner farms. After a seven-day, closed-top sweet mash fermentation, the whiskey was double pot distilled before being barreled in new charred American oak. Following seven years of aging, the bourbon was finished in Mizunara barrels for nearly six months. About eight barrels are then blended before bottling at cask strength, generally between 112 and 116 proof.

Starlight’s Single Barrel Bourbon was also a Top Shelf 2025 winner, taking the award for Best Craft Distillery Whiskey.